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The Ultimate Holiday Bread: Golden, Gooey, and Festive


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  • Author: Chef Billy

Description

A rich, golden, and gooey holiday bread filled with warm spices, dried fruits, and a sweet glaze, perfect for festive gatherings.


Ingredients

Scale

For the Crust:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm milk
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
  • 1/4 cup candied orange peel
  • For the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Prepare the Crust:

  1. In a large bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar; let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. Add melted butter, eggs, vanilla, remaining sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Mix until a soft dough forms, then knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth.
  3. Fold in dried cranberries, apricots, and candied orange peel. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
  4. Punch down dough, shape into a loaf, and place in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Let rise again for 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  6. Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla for the glaze. Drizzle over cooled bread before serving.

Notes

You can customize the seasonings to taste.